


Vulnerabilities, Insecurities, and Inadequacies

by HailsRose



Series: Substantial Happenings [4]
Category: Ao no Exorcist | Blue Exorcist
Genre: Angst, Gen, I need this though, I'm making the both of them suffer like hell and I have no excuse, Sadness, consider it a vent, prepare for more sadness and angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-29
Updated: 2018-04-29
Packaged: 2019-04-29 21:30:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14481585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HailsRose/pseuds/HailsRose
Summary: [R] Things that make me angry; not being strong enough, being hurt, betraying my trust, my other self, the world.[Y] Things that I'm afraid of; I am afraid of everything and I HATE IT. I HATE BEING AFRAID.Okumura Twins character analysis. Rin has no idea why he has a notebook but maybe something good will come of it. Yukio finally gets a release. Vulnerability around those you love is a powerful thing.





	Vulnerabilities, Insecurities, and Inadequacies

**Author's Note:**

> Inspiration is fun. That's all.

The chains rattled around Rin in an almost comically grating way. It sounded too fantastical to be real yet felt too cold for it to be a dream. Yet that was amusing to someone like Rin, who despite his strength and recklessness, had some small part of him deep down that knew damn well he was going to be captured. He knew he’d be taken in by the Illuminati, put behind bars like a criminal, and somehow he hadn’t expected the dungeon-like chains or the chill of the metal floor. They were treating him as they should: like an animal. 

He was shocked Lucifer hadn’t taken pity on him. 

“In a jail cell again,” He muttered to himself. His voice was hoarse from his screaming and snarling, his throat felt parched and cracked. “Just goes to show you that I’m not welcome anywhere, huh?”

Even when the words were whispered, they felt raw and noisier than a bag of party favors. Even pressed against the door for support, he felt like he was going to tip over. So he pushed himself away and slid down at the back wall, trying to ignore the clatter of his confinements. 

At least they let them keep his stuff. 

The brown messenger bag was one that had followed him through, so far, nearly a year and a half of high school. It was the only one Mephisto would get for him after his old bag, which had gone through thick and thin, elementary and junior high, finally gave out on him and tore, leaving him to pick up all his books and papers in the hallway on the second day of school. In it currently, there were countless things related to exorcism: rations, scissors, matches, a miniature first aid kit, most of everything he wouldn’t really need, and a notebook. 

He forgot why he put it in there. A notebook of all things. And fortunately, something to write with. 

He left it there, pretending he didn’t see it. Pretending he didn’t want something to entertain himself with. Pretending he wasn’t too alone to actually want it. 

Little did he know after five minutes he’d cave and start doodling. He did one page, tore it out. Two pages, tore that one out. Three more pages, tore them out, crinkled them up, and burned them all with the matches from his bag. Because God forbid he was put in a place where he could use his flames. 

He set the notebook aside when something came to him. Things stereotypical of teenage girls, ‘dear diary,’ writing underneath cherry blossom trees, and dorky books for those learning to read. 

“No, this is so stupid,” He said aloud. “What am I, some kinda skittish loser?"

He ignored the thought until it persisted, annoyed him, bugged him and finally he rolled his eyes, picked up the notebook, and began to write. 

Rin knew what he was writing, to an extent. But he had no specific plan. He poured out his thoughts like he was ranting, venting, popping out glowing ideas from mason jars and slapping it onto a canvas as though he were a frustrated yet inspired artist. It was odd, he didn’t realize he’d actually felt this way and the pain that came with admitting it on paper hurt like hell. It hurt worse than hell. It was like a shadowy creature, a demon, had crawled it’s way up from the ground, climbed on top of him, and tore out his heart. 

Yet crying made him feel a bit better. 

When he finished, he realized he’d taken up half the book, he realized that he didn’t realize how many emotions he actually had. How many fears, inferiorities, thoughts, both bitter and happy, had plagued him for a long time. 

He wanted to share all of them. But the only person he knew for certain he’d be comfortable sharing them with… well, he didn’t believe Yukio would listen to him. 

Nevertheless, he slipped the notebook and pen underneath the door. 

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

 

Why on God’s Green Earth was Yukio sent down to check on Rin? 

Why on God’s soon to be destroyed, forsaken Green Earth had Tōdō told him to go down to the “dungeons,” as everyone so affectionately called it?

Was it to worsen his relationship with Rin? Give him more of a superiority complex? Break the both of them further beyond repair even though they had long since crossed that line?

_‘Ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous. Positively, vastly stupid.'_

Yukio had tried to protest the order, nearly pleaded with Tōdō to send someone else. Nearly because if he had, he’d sacrifice his dignity. Tōdō would never let him hear the end of it, not when his dignity was the only thing he had left. 

He slipped past the door with quiet footsteps and bright flashlight (no lights in the dungeon for aesthetic purposes, jeez, Lucifer was worse than Mephisto sometimes.) He continued down the stairs, careful to pay attention to every little detail thanks to his ingrained exorcist habits, and moved lethargically for the block on the right. He was allowed to look in using a digital screen with a camera trained on the interior. He wasn’t surprised to find Rin was asleep, especially so late at night. 

_‘Of course, I can’t say I expected anything else.'_

With a sigh, Yukio flipped the screen off and stepped back down the hallway… nearly slipping on something on the process. He looked down, scooping up the flat object and shining the flashlight on it. 

_‘A notebook,’_ He scanned the front page. In bold, messy ink, the name **_‘YUKIO’_** was scrawled across the top. _‘With my name on it.’ _Yukio paused, stared at the front cover then to the jail cell door. Aloud, this time, he said:__

__“You did this, didn’t you? Trying to tell me something? Torment me more? Fine, I’ll play into it if it makes you feel better.” With that, Yukio trailed down the hallway, up the stairs, and tried not to slam the door behind him._ _

__The trip to his quarters came much quicker than he would have liked. He stepped inside, turned on the light, and gladly let himself into its privacy. It was a stark contrast in comparison to his entire life. The white walls were nothing like the dark wooden panels of the monastery or the hideous, destroyed interior of his dorm, both of which he shared with his twin brother. This time, he was alone. No slumbering, warm body in the other bed when there was no other bed. No coming home envious to his resting, drooling brother after laboring in the field. Somehow the change didn’t make the weight on his heart any better._ _

__He carelessly tossed the notebook on the desk in the corner and let himself into his personal bathroom (first classrooms for first class guests AKA Satan). The water of the shower didn’t wash away the heavy sore of the eventful day, nor did scrubbing his skin raw and soaking for longer than necessary. As far as comfortable clothes went, he was left with a similar set of clothes to white scrubs. The one hospital nurses wore but not entirely true to the appearance. He stalled, hoping he wouldn’t have to open the notebook. But curiosity was a morbid thing that tore him to shreds so he would deal with it sooner rather than later._ _

__Yukio found himself at the desk, delicately flipping open to the first page. At the top, written in wobbly but just legible letters was the title **Things That Make Me Happy**. It was cute and sappy and so unbelievably Rin that Yukio couldn’t help but roll his eyes. He adjusted his glasses and began to read. _ _

__**Cooking. My friends. Ukobach. Kuro. Sunlight. The roof. Beautiful views. The sunset. Shiemi. Shiemi’s garden. Cram School. Shura. Butterflies. Bug hunting. Outdoors. Hiking. Walking. Running. Swimming. Exercise. Sleep. Napping. Food. Sukiyaki. Meat. Eating. Self-care. Warm water. Long baths. Pretty girls. Cool guys. Daydreaming. Grass. Clouds. Stars. Space. Wind. Earth. Assiah. Smiling. Making friends. Green eyes. The color red.** _ _

__The list went on for both sides of the paper. Other words stuck out such as ‘home,’ ‘kinship,’ and ‘fire.’ Yukio cocked an eyebrow but moved onto the next page, which was appropriately titled **Things That Make Me Sad**. It wasn’t nearly as long. _ _

__**Pain. Both giving and taking. Sadness. Secrets. Keeping secrets. Hatred. Death. Illness. Fighting. Turmoil. Struggle. Hardships. Solitude.** _ _

__Yukio turned the page upon seeing this one had ended much sooner._ _

__**Things That I Like; Shiemi, Suguro, Father Fujimoto, Yukio, my family, Shima, Konekomaru, Izumo, swordsmanship, hand to hand combat, my mentor, fighting styles, Ninjutsu, rock music, music playing while doing chores, music playing while exercising, hot cocoa, warm blankets, fireplace, snow, snowball fights, Christmas, presents, childhood** _ _

__**Things That I Hate; Valentine’s Day, summer heat, bullies, betrayal, anger, sadness, jealousy, rejection, guns, gunshots (they’re too loud), bullets, summoning, taming, demons, demonic flames, blue flames, myself…** _ _

__Yukio’s attention got caught on that last word. _‘Rin… hates himself?’__ _

__**I am the son of Satan. I accept that but I hate it. I hate that I’m a demon, I hate that I have his flames, I hate that everyone hates me for being born, I hate that I’m hated for something I can’t control.** _ _

__He shook his head, trying to keep the thought making an impact. The next page was hauntingly short._ _

__**Things I’m Good At; cooking** _ _

__**Things I’m Bad At; everything else** _ _

__Yukio didn’t want to linger on that for very long. His brother was talented at many things, such as wielding a sword, climbing trees, and parkour. Though they had jested that cooking was it, surely he didn’t actually believe that. Right?_ _

__**Things That Make Me Angry; the things I hate, abuse, when my friends/family are hurt, losing control, blacking out, not getting something right the first time, seeing someone strong hurt someone weak, unrest, imbalance, awful people, criminals, not being taken seriously, not being strong enough, being hurt, betraying my trust, pollution, my life, _my other self, the world._** _ _

__He wondered what Rin meant by ‘other self.’ But more importantly, he hadn’t known that Rin was angry at the world. Did he feel it was cruel and unfair? Or had he just always assumed he was supposed to be angry?_ _

__**Things That I’m Afraid Of; losing the people I care about, hurting someone important to me, dying, never making things right with my brother, Lucifer, Satan, myself, losing my exorcist status, loneliness, being abandoned, of what happens when I stop smiling, when I stop caring, of becoming a full demon.** _ _

__Rin was afraid of losing his humanity overall and somehow that struck a chord within Yukio. He didn’t know why and maybe it was the prodding of the devil himself in the back of his head but perhaps he understood, though that understanding was limited, what that was like._ _

__Then everything came tumbling down in an avalanche of vulnerabilities._ _

__**Things I Thought When I Was Human; am I depressed? Do I have anxiety? Is it okay to cry? Is it okay if I can’t control my emotions? Am I too ungentlemanly? Will I be alone the rest of my life? Will I make it through junior high? Will I make it through life? How do I ask for help? What do I do when I can’t be strong anymore? Please stop mocking me, I know I suck, I know I’m not the perfect son, I know Yukio is the one you love, telling me you hate me would hurt less than just implying it. Be more like Yukio, be more like Yukio, be more like Yukio, be more like Yukio, BE MORE LIKE YUKIO, BE MORE LIKE YUKIO, BEMORELIKEYUKIO, THEN MAYBE YOU’LL BE LOVED.** _ _

__Yukio’s breath caught in his throat as he looked at the phrase that would forever be ingrained in his head. _‘Don’t be more like me, Rin, I’m defective.'__ _

__**Things I Thought After My Awakening; I’m not human. I hate that. I hate myself. I have to change. I have to turn over a new leaf. Dad is dead. I wish he wasn’t dead. I wish he were here. It’s all my fault. I killed him. No, I didn’t. I didn’t kill him. I can’t blame myself for things I didn’t directly do. I promise I won’t become a monster. I promise I won’t hurt anyone. I promise I won’t bring Yukio down. I promise to try my hardest. I’m sorry, I’m sorry.** _ _

___’Stop apologizing, it doesn’t change anything.’_ _ _

__**Things I Thought After I Lost Control; what if I hurt someone? what if Shiemi gets hurt? What if Suguro gets hurt? What if Yukio gets hurt? What if I never gain control? These candles suck. Everyone is afraid of me. Please don’t be afraid of me. I’m going to die, I’m going to be executed, I am going to leave everyone alone. Everyone would be better off without me. Why was I saved? Why did dad spare my life? I am dangerous. I am a liability. When I die, how will they kill me? Will they hang me? Will I die by firing squad? Will I see Yukio pointing a gun at me? Will they have the Paladin stab me? Will anyone clean up my body or my bloodstains? Will I be cremated or buried? Would cremation even work on me?** _ _

___‘I love you and hate you but I am incapable of killing you. Both physically and mentally.’_ _ _

__**Things I Thought After I Died; My hair is white. I am growing horns. Is that me? Yukio is gone. My 16 years of life are my own. I am both human and demon. I could never understand both sides fully. I need to know about the past. I am a coward. I am scared. I am angry. I have bottled up myself for too long. I need to change. My fear and resistance drove Yukio away. I made him feel alone. This is my fault.** _ _

___‘It wasn’t your fault. My insecurities hurt people who were just trying to help. I separated myself from you on purpose.'__ _

__**Mom was beautiful. Mom was soft and gentle. I wish I could have known her more. Yukio would have loved her. Satan is evil. Satan did this. Satan is not misunderstood. Satan does not care about anyone. Satan killed my mother. Satan took away my brother. I hate him. I will kill him. I will avenge mom, I will save Yukio. Whether he likes it or not.** _ _

___‘Stop it. You’re not supposed to try and save me. I can’t be saved.’_ _ _

__**Concerns;** _ _

__**Please stop telling me to behave like a gentleman (gentle-demon?) I already know I’m not attractive, you’re not helping.** _ _

__**I know I need to work but I can’t. I keep losing control. I am not in control.** _ _

__**I feel like I need to see a doctor. I feel stupid. I feel inadequate. I feel like a failure. I feel like a disappointment.** _ _

__**I wish you would respect me. I wish you wouldn’t say things to hurt my feelings even if you’re joking. Please reassure me. Please comfort me. Stop laughing. Stop telling me off. You’re not my dad, you’re not my legal guardian. You’re not my keeper.** _ _

__**Everything feels like the end of the world. What if it ends before I reach success? What if I don’t succeed? What if I don’t become Paladin? What if I die? What do I do after I die? What will you do after I die?** _ _

__**Help me, help me, help me, help me help me help me. Help me. Teach me.** _ _

__**I feel like there’s something wrong with me.** _ _

__**Treat me like an equal. I am not inferior to you.** _ _

__Yukio didn’t even recognize there were tears running down his face._ _

__**Things I Wish My Brother Would Say; I love you, I need you, I need your help,** _ _

__But when he did, they consisted of raw, unadulterated emotion. He clenched his fists, tightening them over the notebook. The tears rolled down his cheeks, ugly and messy and loud. That anguish that had built up within him for so long finally came pouring out, a release he hadn’t expected. It seeped through the chinks in his composure, his mask, his shield, and heaved his emotions out like a tiny child._ _

__For some reason, it made him feel better. And he didn’t feel weak._ _

__As soon as his crying tapered off, he turned the page. Much to his horror, it was blank. So was the next page and the next page and all the other pages. There was nothing left._ _

__“That’s it? That’s all there this is? That can’t be all. Where’s the rest of it?”_ _

__After a few more minutes of trying to find the rest, Yukio came to the conclusion that that was all Rin had to say. And the blank pages weren’t until Rin could think up more. The blank pages were for Yukio to fill out. Maybe it was about time he did. He unlatched the pen from the rings of the notebook and wrote something similar to Rin’s form although just a tad different._ _

__**Shiemi makes me happy. Teaching makes me happy. Teaching is frustrating but I love sharing my knowledge with people. Seeing people grow makes me happy. Seeing Rin make friends makes me happy. Seeing Rin happy makes me happy. Knowing that Rin is not alone, no matter how much I feared it, makes me happy. Having fun makes me happy. Amusement parks make me happy. Dancing makes me happy. Dancing with Rin and Shiemi makes me happy.** _ _

__**Being reminded of my failures as a person makes me sad. Watching the people I care about get hurt makes me sad. Being unable to heal someone makes me sad. Watching someone destroy themselves makes me sad. Being unable to save someone makes me sad. I don’t like being sad.** _ _

__**I like Shiemi. I like when she calls me ‘Yuki.’ I like Rin. I like being looked up to. I like being a role model. I like learning. I like big projects. I like working hard. I like the satisfaction that comes with it. I like the cold. I like the ocean. I like coral reefs. I like tropical fish. I like aquariums. I like mythology and psychology. I like the study of the mind. I like the study of how demons affect the mind. I like psychodemonology.** _ _

__Yukio paused and wondered whether or not he should put these next words down. But he caved and chose to. If Rin could admit his flaws, so could he._ _

__**My guilty pleasure is being manipulative. I like getting someone to do something for me. I like making demons afraid. I like inflicting fear. I don’t think that’s a good thing.** _ _

__Yukio hated countless things. He hated more than he loved and putting that on paper was a harsh reality he had to face._ _

__**I hate Rin. I hate that I’m not as good as him. I hate that people like me for what I am not. I hate that my fangirls like my height, my intelligence, my fake smiles. I hate Valentine’s Day, I hate cherry-flavored hard candies, I hate Mephisto, I hate his gaudy office, I hate that he smells like cherry-flavored hard candies, I hate his elitism. I hate that he won’t tell me what I want to know. I have being controlled. I hate that I feel alone. I hate the Illuminati. I hate the True Cross Order and everything they truly stand for. I hate that they pretend they stand for my ideals.** _ _

__**I hate Saburōta Tōdō. I hate Homare Tōdō. I hate Renzō Shima. I hate Satan. I hate being on the dark side. I hate that the dark side pretends they’re the good side. I hate that I’m a villain, I hate myself, I hate that I have done this to myself, I hate there is no other choice.** _ _

__**I hate the smell sulfur. I hate the smell and look of blood. I hate the smell of antiseptics and hospitals even though I wanted to be a doctor. I hate war, I hate death, I hate possession, I hate demons, I hate that my brother is a demon, I hate that I am not a demon. I am a hypocrite and I hate that. I hate that I can’t sleep at night, I hate that I have nightmares, I hate that an Illuminati doctor could diagnose me with PTSD but an Order doctor couldn’t.** _ _

__The things Yukio were good at were limitless if he actually bothered to write everything down. But he could only think of things off the top of his head. He didn’t want to make a detailed list about everything he was good at when Rin believed he wasn’t good at anything except for culinary arts._ _

__**I am good at studying. I am good at listening. I am good at firing a gun. I am good at shooting. I am good at fighting. I am good at exorcism. I am good at straightening out my priorities. I am good at being kind. I am good at pretending. I am good at singing. I am good at writing. I am good at picking up new things/learning. I am good at being everything everyone expects of me.** _ _

__**I am bad at everything I want to be good at. I am bad at everything Rin is good at.** _ _

__He did, however, feel that what he was good at was not enough. Nothing was ever enough._ _

__**Not being good enough makes me angry. Not knowing something makes me angry. Ignorance, both my own and everyone else’s makes me angry. Pretending you know my struggles makes me angry. Don’t pretend you know what it feels like. Don’t pretend you understand what it’s like shooting up warehouses full of zombies when you don’t. The Illuminati chimeras don’t count.** _ _

__His fears were as countless as his hatreds. It was odd how those two went hand in hand with one another more often than he thought. It was kinda painful to think about._ _

__**I am afraid of hurting people. I am afraid of being killed. I am afraid of dying. I am afraid of being injured. I am afraid of being paralyzed. I am afraid of heights. I am afraid of the dark. I am afraid of admitting I want a nightlight to sleep at night. I am afraid of the demons in my nightmares. I am afraid of having a panic attack in public. I am afraid of my superiors. I am afraid of Rin. I am afraid of my superiors killing Rin. I am afraid of everything.** _ _

__**I am afraid of everything and I HATE IT. I HATE BEING AFRAID.** _ _

__The only thing that remained was to express everything he felt at the times Rin felt like was at his lowest and the times Yukio felt like he was at his lowest._ _

__**Things I thought when Rin was human: I don’t want him to be alone, I don’t want him to be sad, I don’t want him to be angry, I wish he’d stop getting into fights, I wish he’d stop being a delinquent, I wish he’d try harder, I am worried about him, I don’t know how to comfort him, he looks depressed, I hope he doesn’t purposefully hurt himself. I would see the scars if he did, right?** _ _

__**Things I thought after Rin’s Awakening: Dad was possessed by Satan. Dad is dead and it’s all his fault. Dad sacrificed himself for Rin. Rin was dad’s weak spot. Rin killed dad. No, Rin didn’t kill dad. Rin wants to get stronger. Rin is just like me. I shouldn’t blame him for something he couldn’t control. Rin is stupid. Rin requires constant help. I feel like his babysitter. What am I, a nanny?** _ _

__**Things I thought after my encounter with Tōdō; I hate him, he doesn’t know me, I am nothing like him, he is awful and evil and he took the easy way out. He is everything I hate. He is everything I hate about myself. I AM NOTHING LIKE HIM. I PROMISE I’M NOT. But I am.** _ _

__**Things I thought after Rin changed (died?); we are far more different than I ever thought we were. We don’t even look similar now. Stop trying to save me. I hate you, I hate you, I HATE YOU. I keep trying to convince myself of that but do I really mean it? Why are you still stronger than me? I’m surprised you’re not dead. Go away. I don’t want you here. I don’t want your help. I don’t need your help. Leave me alone. Stop tormenting me. Stop raiding my dreams.** _ _

__**My concerns; am I traumatized? Does stress make me sick? Or is my immune system just weak? Is it okay to cry? Am I a crybaby? Is crying a sign of weakness? I am afraid of being alone. I am afraid I won’t make it through high school. What happens after I die? What happens after Rin dies? What if Rin dies before me? What do I do when I can’t be strong anymore? I am a liability. I am inadequate. I am not important. YOU are important. (I wish you’d offer a better way to help and actually face your fears for me. Am I less important than what you fear most? Would really do everything for me?)** _ _

__**I feel like I need a therapist.** _ _

__**I feel defective.** _ _

__**I feel broken.** _ _

__**I feel weak.** _ _

__**I am weak. I am weak. I AM WEAK. I AM WEAK. I AM SO WEAK I ONLY HURT PEOPLE.** _ _

__**I wish you’d understand that I want you to be successful.** _ _

__**I don’t want you to fail.** _ _

__**I don’t have as much life experience as I pretend I do. I’m not all-knowing or wise.** _ _

__**I don’t know what I’m doing half the time I’m alive. Please, please, please understand that I can’t always be here.** _ _

__**Please stop falling victim to demons every other mission (the monkeys in the bathhouses, Lord Hachirotaro’s hypnotism.)** _ _

__**I feel like there’s something wrong with me.** _ _

__**Just because I am technically younger than you does mean I am not your equal. Just because I am your superior in exorcism does not mean I am not your equal. Stop trying to baby me. Stop trying to say I’m the perfect one when I’m not.** _ _

__**I need you.** _ _

__**I need your help.** _ _

__**I need help sleeping.** _ _

__**I need help existing.** _ _

__**I love you.** _ _

__Yukio found his organized thoughts to be just as awful when poured out on paper. He felt like he was looking at a masterpiece of darkness and destruction but there they were. Everything he believed he’d ever thought and not enough for it to work. It filled up the last half of the thin notebook. They were longer than Rin’s, the same heartfelt emotion behind them. He had no idea what to do with them. It was 2:00 in the morning, who the hell could he share this with? Rin was asleep three hours ago._ _

__It was worth a shot._ _

__He snagged his white jacket from off the floor, crept out the door. It was earlier than he would have liked and all the lights were off, it was officially designated resting time. Even Lucifer recognized that much about humans. Yukio crept along the corridor until he reached the confinement cells. He returned sooner than he would have liked with a flashlight in hand. The cool floor stung his feet as he walked along the dark hallway, the one glowing, exposed eye acting a bit as a light._ _

__He didn’t know what he was doing beyond sliding the book back under the door. He was shocked to hear chains rattling on the other side and he absently turned on the screen to see Rin taking the book in his hands and flipping open to Yukio writing. He watched in wonder as Rin flipped through it at a rate much slower than his own and found his own tears. The weeping could be heard through the small window at the top of the door (why it was necessary to have both a screen and a window, Yukio would never know.)_ _

__Yukio was tempted to walk away. To leave Rin to his tears but something else came over him, even as he turned the screen off. The chains were clattering again and his hand was reaching through the window, looking for someone._ _

___‘Can he sense that I’m here?’ Yukio wondered._ _ _

__He reached up to the window, clasping his brother’s wrist before attempting to intertwine his fingers with Rin’s. There was a gasp on the other end, Rin squeezed affectionately, pleased that Yukio gave a response. It was silent except for one phrase floating between the two._ _

__“I know how you feel."_ _


End file.
